Fastening device



July 4, 1950 v. F. zAHoDlAKlN 2,514,113

FASTENING DEVICE Filed March 20, 1947 BY MPM ATTORNEY Patented July 4,1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FASTENING DEVICE victor F. zahoaiaisn,short Hills, N. J.

Application March 20, 1947, Serial No. 736,071

(Cl. 2li-221) 12 Claims.

This invention relates to fastening devices, and particularly to thestu-d and socket type wherein, by partial turn of the stud, aninterlocking with the socket is obtained.

Primarily and in its broadest aspect, the invention has for an objectthe provision of a fastening device of the character specified by whichquick clamping and release may be obtained for a desired number, invarying quantity, of bodies to be secured irrespective, within very widelimits, of the number and thicknesses of such bodies. Explanatory ofthis objective, it may be said that fastening devices as characterizedabove nd extensive use in airplane as well as other uses, for suchspecific purposes as securing fuselages, compartments, brackets, hingesand for fulfilling multitudinous requirements too numerous forcataloging here. Suffice it to say, that heretofore, a considerableassortment of fastening devices have been re-V quired to accommodate thedifferent number of l bodies to be secured by each, and to accommodatedifferent thicknessesV of the bodies secured. The present object,therefore, looks to the provision of a more universal fastening deviceto be used where, under prior'art practice, a variety of fasteningdevices were necessary.

More specifically, the invention has for its objects, to provide afastening device of universal character whereby the device itselfadjusts to the various thicknesses and to number of bodies being clampedand therefore a fastening device which eliminates the usual requirementsof a plurality of different ones each of which is intended only for avery specific thickness; to provide a fastening device which can beutilized successfully for various high performance requirements, such asclamping various parts of aircraft as indicated above, andy capableparticularly to withstand high temperature and great physical stresseswhich exist or develop in aircraft or other objects which may develop aspeed of sound or a supersonic speed such as jet-propelled planes,rockets, remote controlled projectiles, and other rapidly movingobjects; to provide a fastening device which compensates for excessivewear of the clamped bodies which, for instance, may be caused byvibration; to provide a fastening device which is capable of positiveclamping of the plurality of bodies which may be disturbed or damaged,and where initial dimension of total thickness would be increased ordecreased; to provide a fastening device which will function properly inhappen to be misaligned at maximum tolerance discrepancy in formation ofthe holes of the plurality of bodies; to provide a fastening devicewhich can withstand maximum loads with a minimum of or zero deflection;to provide a fastening device which maintains a minimum separation ofthe bodies under load; to provide a fastening device capable ofwithstanding a maximum shear load; to provide a fastening device themovable or removable parts of which do not require any installationtools in mounting the same, and which may be likewise disassembled ordismantled without any tools, when an emergency requires, such as at anaeronautical field; to provide a fastening device in which the movableand removable parts may be removed and replaced by another part or otherparts without use of any tools; to secure simplicity of construction andoperation; and to obtain other advantages and results as Will appear tothose skilled in the art as the description proceeds, both by directrecitation thereof or implication from the context. Y

Referring to the accompanying drawing, in which like numerals ofreference indicate similar parts throughout the several views;

Figure 1 is a plan of the assembled fastening device of the presentinvention;

clamping bodies the pre-formed holes of which Figure 2 is a longitudinalsectional view Von line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing the stud in elevation andthe right side of the compensator in elevation;

Figure 3 is a perspective View of the compensator;

Figure 4 is an elevation of the stud;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the pin which in use rides upon thecam or inclined surfaces;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the retainer ring or collar forpreventing displacement of said pin of Fig. 5;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the vibration Dad;

Figure 8 is a plan, on smaller scale than in Figs. 1 and 2, of the shellwith which the compensator interlocks;

Figure 9 is an elevation looking toward the left side of Fig. 8; and

Figure 10 is an elevation of a fastening device of modified constructionin provision of a centralizing cap which is shown in section and in theprovision of the vibration pad located between the cap and housingvinstead of between the shell and body to which the housing is attached.

In the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in said drawing,the reference numerals I5 and It are applied to two juxtaposed bodiesrepresentative of any number of bodies desired to be clamped together.The members have holes I'i, Ila respectively, adapted to axiallyregister, or substantially register, for receiving a stud I3therethrough which constitutes a part of the fastening device. As willbe discussed more extensively hereinafter, observation is made now, thathole Ila in the forward body I6 is smaller than the hole I in suchrearward body or bodies I5 as may be desired to be clamped together.

On what we have chosen to term the back face of the rearward body I5 isa housing IS 'the midportion of which is constructedand arranged to bean oil-set 2t spaced from and parallel to said back face a distancewhich is later dened herein, the opposite ends of said housingconstituting feet in flatwise engagement with the back face of said bodyI5 and heldlthereon by rivets 22 or otherwise secured to said body Iii.l Y

The onf-set 2c of housing I9 is provided with a hole 23 larger than thestud-receiving holes Hand Ila, aforementioned and coaxial therewith orsubstantially so. AV cylindrical shell i projects through said hole 23of the housing I9, said shell having a flange 25 at its forward endwhich is located between the ofi-set 20 of the housing I9 and said bodyI, thus mounting thev shell 2d and limiting longitudinal displacement ormovement or" said shell. Spacing of the 01T- set from the body I5 isample, in comparison to the flange thickness, to permit somelongitudinal Vplay'for the shell 2d and to admit presence of a vibrationpad 25 between the forward face of said'ilange 25 and the rear face Aofsaid body I5. Further denition of this spacing will be givenhereinafter. The particular pad V26 here shown is preferably a curvedplate of spring steel with a central' hole 2l therethrough large enoughto accommodate entryl therethrough of a compensator 28 next to bedescribed.

Contemplating the device in its-assembled relationship of parts' asshown in Figures. l and 2, there is providedfwithin saidfshell A2d acompensator 28 of generallyfcylindrical conguration of slightly lessdiameter than the inside diameter of said shell. Saidcompensator 28 isconstructed to be -resiliently 'expandable from-its normal cylin- D Theouter cylindricalsurfaceof thecompensator 28 and the yinnercylindricalsurface` of the shell 24'have correspondingprojections-and-hollows for interlocking purposes which conveniently maybe screw-threads 3B in the-shell and similar screw-threads 3| on thecompensator. InA the drawing, to make the-threads visible, the scale hasbeen much exaggerated as to proportionate size of threads employed.Preferably the threads are very line, or technically, have very iinepitch, and as an example, there may be provided iifty or more threads tothe inch. A

Normally, as shown in Fig; 2', the threads 3G ofthe shell and 3i of thecompensator, while close, do not mesh, thereby Vpermitting thecompensator to be slid to place in the shell, but after the compensatoris slid home within the shell the compensator may beV expanded until itsthreads 3| mesh with saidthreads 300i the shell. Stud I8 and associatedparts accomplish that expansion" by a quarter turn'thereof, aswllwappear from further description of said stud and its associatedparts.

Said stud I, as seen in Fig. 4, provides a head 32 at its front end witha kerf 33 therein for permitting rotation to be effected with a screwdriver. Spaced rearwardly from the head 32 is a tapering or rearwardlyconverging shoulder 34 which is smaller than said head so as to be ableto pass through the body holes Il, Ila, but hole Ila next the' head istoo small to pass the head therethrough. Still further rearwardly of thestud is another, but smaller, tapering or rearwardly converging shoulder35. These shoulders 34 and 35 are spaced from each other approximatelythe length o the threaded part of said compensator and in use arelocated within the hollow interior thereof for applying distributedexpanding moments the vicinity of opposite ends of the compensator. Theangle of taper of both shoulders 3d. and 35 is preferably the same soboth shoulders will produce the same amount of eX- pansion for any givenmover'rientof the stud. The inside of the compensator 23` is providedwith large and small faces 36,' 3l correspondingly tapered and locatedwith respect to the tapered shoulders'l, 'so as to be simultaneouslyengagedl and expanded thereby.

For expanding the' compensator, the same is drawn toward the studhead32, thereby causing the tapered shoulderstc, 3'5 and tapered faces 35,3l of stud and Vcompensator respectively to ride one on the other indirection tending to introduce the larger ends Vof the shoulders towardthe smallerends ofthe compensator tapered surfaces. n order toaccomplish such movement, opposed as it is by strong resiliency of thecompensator, a cam arrangementis provided. As here shown, thecompensator 28 has its rearward end beyond the threaded portion ofreduced diameter to form a neck SS'the end edge 'of which recedes andprojects alternately in ank axial direction and with such symmetry thateach recession is diametricallyopposite a like recession and with theslopes ofthe recessions the same. These sloping end edge portionsconstitute cams 39.'

Contiguousto said cams, a rearward partiti) of stud I3 has rotative t insaid neck33; and projecting diametrically fronrsaid part into"recessions of the cams seare the ends'of ahard metal pin 4I.' Inv theassembled structure; said' pi'n is eiectively a part of thestud;rotating therewith and lapping over the cams and as thestudis ro'-tat'edsaid pin'rides `on saidY cams. inasmuch' as vthis pin is madefreely slidable in thev transverse hole #12in whichmounted', so as `tobe removable without. use of' tools in theeld', it hasto `be held inplace, 'and this is'- done "byapplying'a-longitudinally split'ring'orcoliar'laround the neck 3B with` the' ends" of' the vpin opposedv bythering. Saidring'll mayhaveanindent or center-punch projection l for'engaging acorresponding hol'- lowA or indentation in the'neck 38" for`removably holding'- the ring` assembled on said` neck. It may behere'noted; inorder to overcome-stiffeningl effect of the neckfon theresiliency'of' the compensator,V that additional short slits- 45 aremade longitudinally'thereof, said slits *Q5 extending forwardly ofthe'n'eck and into the rearward end of the large'orthreaded 1portion'oftliecompensator.

Itis now to be observedV that theilange' 251011 the front 'end of'shell24' is rectangular andby virtue L of location 'within the1housing I 9 ispreventedn from rotation; At an' appropriate position in the peripheryof said shell 24 is provided a key-pin 46 which, as shown, projectsradially inward and is of appropriate dimensions to situate its innerend within the longitudinal end-toend slit 29 of the compensator 28thereby preventing the compensator from rotating. Thereforethe cams 39are non-rotatable and thus when the stud is rotated, the cams, becauseof over-riding pin lll thereon, must ofnecessity apply a longitudinalmovement in a forward direction to the stud I8 and as a result of suchresiliency of vibration pad 26 so far as toleranceof the spacecontaining the pad permits. This freedom of forward movement of theshell 261 is preferably restricted by the tolerance provided tosubstantially the rise present in the cam surfaces plus pitch distanceor spacing of consecutive convolutions of the threads. The stud isintended only to make a quarter turn, so each cam surface has a totallength defined by a quadrant. The final portion of the cam surface ispreferably a slight hollow, as at 39a, into which the end of pin ll willseat for eliminating any tendency for the pin to slide back down theslope of the cam surface.

However, if desired, a supplemental locking of the stud i8 in itsrotated compensator-depressing position may be provided by anappropriate spring-loaded detent. Illustrative thereof, the largertapered shoulder 36 of the stud I8 is shown with a diametric hole llltherethrough one end of which is of smaller diameter than the other, andslidably receives a detent pin i8 having a head which is in the largerpart of said hole l1 and which is engaged by a spring Ils located insaid larger part of the hole and under compression. The small end of thedetent, when permitted, will protrude under inuence of the springpressure from the periphery of the said shoulder, and is at appropriatelocation to be juxtaposed to the slit 29 of the compensator 28 when thestud I8 has beenrotated substantially a quarter turn and the threads ofthe oompensator and shell interlocked and the shell has taken up theplay afforded by the tolerance provided. Thus the detent pin i8 snapsinto slit '29 and will resist inadvertent backward turning of the stud.The end of said detent pin 48 in the slit 29, however, is rounded, andforce applied by an operator to turn the stud backward will suffice toforce the detent pin inward and permit the operator to release thefastening device.

It furthermore should be pointed out that the inclusion of additionalbodies between the stud head 32 and the housing I9 m'erely means thatthe compensator assumes a more forward position in the shell and less ofthe threads intermesh, but otherwise the operation and interlocking isin accordance with the foregoing description.

The modification of Figure 10 presents the same generic invention andconstruction above-described, with addition of certain refinementsthought worthy of disclosure herein. In said figure, shell 2d,comtruoted as before, has a cap 50 permanently shrunk or otherwisesecured thereon. The forward end of said cap approaches the vicinity ofthe oir-set' 2o of the housing and has a ange 5I in parallelism to saidoff-set. Resilient vibration pad 26 is situated between said offset andsaid flange, with the above-described relation by which longitudinalmovement is afforded for the shell equal substantially to the rise onthe inclined surfaces of the cams plusl the longitudinal dimension ofpitch of the threads. This construction therefore places the pad whereit may be `inspected so it is more readily determined if it shouldhappen to become fractured. v-Furthermore, in the construction of Fig.10,

' said cap 5E! is constructed and arranged for functioning as acentralizing cap for the stud. For this purpose the central portion ofsaid cap 5U is provided with a hollow hub 52 to which the acljacent walltapers. The stud lila is made longer than in the previous showing sothat, when assembled, said stud has its end portion projecting throughsaid hub. Furthermore in this showing, pin-retaining collar or ring 43ahas longitudinal ribs 53 struck therefrom to increase the effectivediameter at said ribs to substantially equal the diameter of thethreaded portion of the compensator. Consequently, if the stud withcompensator are introduced at an angle, said ribs engage and slide alongthe threaded inner surface of the shell without difficulty or injurythereto and permit proper seating of the stud and of the compensator attheir appointed places.

In use of either construction, the stud is first inserted through holeIla of body I6 and the compensator is then mounted on the stud. Sincethe compensator and stud-head are too large to pass through hole Ila.,the stud cannot then fall from its mounted place. The stud andcompensator are held assembled by insertion of the camengagingpin 4l inits hole 42 in the stud, ring 43 being applied to overlie the ends ofsaid pin for keeping said pin from displacement. When the bodies arethen juxtaposed, the stud and compensator, which can be termed the maleassembly, will enter through hole Il of the other body or bodies andinto the shell 24 while the compensator is in its contracted or normalcondition. A quarter turn of the stud then slides and expands thecompensator, causing its threads 3| to lock with the threads 3l) of theshell. If necessary, after unlocking the device and separating thebodies, the operator, without any tools, may disassemble the stud andcompensator by pulling the ring or collar olf the end of the stud andthen by sliding the cam-engaging pin 4l out of the stud thereby permitsthe stud and compensator to come apart. Reassembly is accomplished inreverse order.

I claim:

1. A fastening device for bodies to be clamped together, comprising arotatable stud, said stud having a head at one end thereof and a taperedshoulder intermediate of the ends of and integral with said stud, anexpandable compensator mounted coaxially around and carried by said studand in constant engagement with said tapered shoulder, a shell aroundsaid compensator normally completely out of contact therefrom, theopposite end of said stud from said head having a part overlapping apart of said compensator for actuation of the compensator longitudinallyof the stud and toward said tapered shoulder thereby expanding saidcompensator into contact with the shell, and cam means between saidlapping parts for effecting the longitudinal actuation of thecompensator toward said tapered shoulder for thereby both expanding said:compensatorrintd contact with said shellfand -for actuating: said shell-ztowardthe studshead -whereby said bodies may be yclamped between saidstud head andfshell.

12. 'A1 fastening device :in accordance-.with claim Y 1 wherein1corresponding vprojections and hollows are provided on thecontactingaces of said compensatorl and shell foriinterlochingepurposesupon ders separated from eachk other .substantially the length of saidcompensator for `simultaneousexpanding contact therewith.

v.'5.,A fastening device' comprising a housingpa cylindrical'shellextending into said housing said shell havingy a flange affordinglimited longitudi- .nal' movement of th'e-shell'in the housing,an eX-pandabie cylindric compensator within-said shell ins-slidable relationAthereto, and means in and on said 'compensator for both expanding saidcompensator into gripping Contact with said shell 4andqor movingboth'the compensator and shell simultaneously longitudinally to thelimit afforded in said housing.

-6. :A vfastening .devicel comprising a headed stud `having a transversehole therethrough remote vfrom the head, a tapered shoulder on said stud.intermediate of said` head and hole, a pin project-ing from saidllole,lan expandable cornpenf` sator around said stud with a tapered surfacecontacting said tapered shoulder, said expandable compensator adaptedtoibe expanded by re1- ative longitudinal movement of the compensator incontact with said tapered shoulder in direction toward the stud head, ashe1l;gird1ing said compensator and engageable by and movablelongitudinally with said-compensator as said compensator expandsand'moves longitudinally, and va cam on said compensator underlying andin contact-with said.pinrsaidcamhaving cam surfaces adaptedfto beYengaged by and have depressive force applied thereto by said pin as theLstud is rotatedfandthereby expand said compensator into-:contact withsaid shell and move saidshell toward the stud head.

7..A fastening device in accordance withclaim 6 wherein said pin isslidably removable, and wherein releasable means are provided forretaining the pinin said hole.

8. Arfastening device in accordance with claim 6 wherein ksaid pin isslidably removable, and wherein a split ring is applied around the camand opposite the ends of -said pin.

9. A fastening device in accordance withclaim 6 wherein said pin isslidably removable, and wherein a split ring is applied around the camandopposite the ends of said pin and wherein means are provided forremovably retaining said ring around the cam.

1.0. Alastening device in accordance with claim 5 whereinsaid meansincludes a cam having a risingsurface away from the housing andwhereinthe limit of movement for said shell alorded by said housing iscommensurate with the maximum rise of said cam surface.

11. A fastening device in accordance with claim 6 wherein the shell andcompensator .have threaded surfaces directed toward each other andengagea-ble vas said. compensator expands.

12. A fasteningdevioe in accordance with claim 6 wherein the shell andcompensator have threaded engagement and wherein longitudinal movementof the shell is limited to maximum rise of the `cam plus pitch distancebetween two consecutive threads of the shell.

VICTOR F. ZAHODIAKIN.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED SL'FA'IS PATENTS Number Name Date '2,323,260 Venditty June`29,1943 2,396,142 Allen Mar. 5, 1946

